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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Gains tell Bill to be?

2. Who does Bill form a partnership with in this segment?

3. Which character moves in with Bill?

4. What does Mary's disease do to her bones?

5. What is the name of the narrator?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Bill escape from the army?

2. Why is Herman arrested?

3. What happens to all the characters mentions in the first 20 pages?

4. Why does Gains not care about their dealer shortselling them?

5. What does Norton give Bill in the opening pages?

6. Describe the story about the mark who woke up while he was being robbed.

7. In what way could the novel be said to be junk driven?

8. What happens to Marvin when he takes junk?

9. How does Bill meet Mary?

10. How do things change when Hermann is arrested?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine Burroughs' writing style. How would you describe Burroughs' prose style? What kind of vocabulary does he use? Does he use any specific writing techniques? What meaning does Burroughs' style give to the story?

Essay Topic 2

Examine withdrawal from heroin as described in the book.

1) What does Lee feel and suffer during withdrawal?

2) How can withdrawal from heroin be made easier?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Burroughs' life. In what way do you think his life and personality is reflected in the book?

(see the answer keys)

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